Exclusive: Good Samaritan recounts rescuing teen from fiery crash on Long Island

Kristin Thorne Image
Friday, January 6, 2017
Good Samaritan describes dramatic rescue
Kristen Thorne spoke exclusively with the Good Samaritan who pulled a driver to safety.

SETAUKET, Long Island (WABC) -- A Good Samaritan who rescued a teenager following a fiery crash on Long Island is speaking exclusively to Eyewitness News.

The teen managed to crawl out of a burning SUV after the crash at a golf course.

But she wasn't in the clear until the passerby, Richard Glaser, pulled her to safety just before the flames flew out of control.

"I noticed a flame on the side of the road," said Glaser. "I stopped and looked and there was a car there. I slammed my brakes, went into reverse, jumped out of the car and there was a young lady walking in circles on top of a deck and the car started getting engulfed in flames."

Glaser told us exclusively how he grabbed the 19-year-old female driver, who was walking around the flames disoriented.

The woman had lost control of her car on a wet roadway Tuesday evening and crashed into a refreshment building at the St. George Golf Course in Setauket.

Glaser got her away from the fire. "I actually just was able to get back to my truck just in time before the whole place was engulfed," he said.

"There was so much smoke I couldn't see if I was going in the right direction. It was bad. It was scary. I was scared," he said.

It was just 7 months ago when Glaser himself was also saved by a Good Samaritan. He was riding his motorcycle on the LIE when someone hit him and took off.

"I'm laying on the side of the road," said Glaser. "Next thing I know some gentleman is putting a collar around my neck, cleaning my wounds and the next thing I know I'm in helicopter coming to Stony Brook."

Glaser, who works in the IT department at Stony Brook University Hospital, suffered fractured ribs, fractured vertebrae and a lacerated liver.

"It's nice that I was able to pay it forward at least and give someone a chance at life again."